What To Do If Your Cat Has Food Allergy

Hypoallergenic cat foods can be good options for cats with allergies since they contain ingredients that are less likely to cause an allergic reaction. If your cats allergy symptoms resolve while on the food trial the next step is to perform a food challenge.

Allergic Dermatitis In Cats Recognize The Signs Canna Pet

Reintroduce potential allergens to identify the culprit.

What to do if your cat has food allergy. A minimum 12-week meal trial is recommended for skin issues because it takes that long for a cat to grow a new outer layer of skin cells human skin takes about 39 days to turn over according to Business Insider. For instance if your cats allergies are caused by fleas using veterinarian-recommended flea and tick preventatives can eliminate the cause. Deciding which cat food to feed your cat can be overwhelming but your choices will be narrowed down if your cat has food allergies.

If symptoms return youll know that food item is a problem and that you need to avoid it. If your cats signs resolve with the food trial AND return within one week of a food challenge your cat has been definitively diagnosed with a food allergy. Novel diet is a type of diet which introduces new types of protein that your cat hasnt eaten before.

This can cause skin itchiness. External symptoms like itchy skin will take longer to resolve. You can find out if your cat has food allergies with a food elimination trial which means feeding your cat a limited diet in order to remove likely allergens from your cats diet.

By patiently repeating this process you can gradually identify all your cats problem foods. Find out what your cat is allergic to. If it becomes apparent that food allergies are the culprit you only have one option for treatment removing the allergen from your cats diet permanently.

Unfortunately it is not always apparent which food is causing the cats allergy. If your cat has a true food allergy then any sensitive stomach issues should clear up in 2 to 4 weeks. A cat of any age can be affected and it can occur in a cat that has been on the same diet for years When the signs appear a cat should receive prompt veterinary care.

This elimination diet food trial will consist of feeding your cat a novel food source of protein and carbohydrate for 12 weeks. In fact a food trial is the only way to achieve an accurate diagnosis for a food allergy. Some cats may have allergies to certain foods.

Keep feeding your cat the elimination diet. If your cat doesnt consume anything except novel diet and water it could take around 10 weeks for the food allergy to stop. The standard veterinary treatment for food allergies is a novel protein diet which means feeding a type of meat your cat has not eaten before such as rabbit or.

Prevent some types of food that can trigger allergies in cats such as seafood beef and dairy products. Once you and your cat settle on appropriate diet restrictions youll most likely have to keep it up for the rest of the cats life. Instead cat owners can manage food allergies by completely avoiding the problem protein in both the cats regular food and treats.

Your veterinarian can help you choose the right flea prevention product to help protect your cat. This involves re-introducing your cats old food. How are food allergies treated.

You should also keep in mind that its possible for cats to develop new allergies at any time. This novel food source is a protein and carbohydrate that your cat has never eaten before. If youre not concerned with identifying the ingredient your cat is allergic to you can simply keep feeding your cat the product you used for the food trial.

If your cat stops having allergic reactions during the food trial and then starts having them again after reintroducing the trigger ingredient in the old diet you have a confirmed food allergy. The good news is cats with food. If a food allergy is indeed suspected the specific allergen should be identified and removed from the animals diet.

After your cat has recovered from the food allergy you then have two options. The best way to treat your cats allergies is to remove the allergens from his or her environment. Once your cat is settled on their special diet your vet may recommend reintroducing food items one at a time every 7-10 days.

Chicken Allergy In Cats Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Recovery Management Cost

What Every Pet Owner Should Know About Food Allergies Clinical Nutrition Service At Cummings School